ascension on the bayou flooding

Once more to the pumps: Ascension eyes new pump station to cut down Manchac flooding. Two additional 30-inch pumps were expected to arrive later on Wednesday. Others say Ascension is leaving too many other stones unturned. Map Help Disclaimer Map Overlays County Boundaries WFO Boundary Reset Overlays Still flooded from last week's storm, Ascension to 'cut,' close roads to help drain like in 2016. Ascension officials on Wednesday could not say how long Alligator Bayou Road, which is already closed to due the pumping operations, will remain shut due to drainage path soon to be cut through it. "I wouldn't expect that road to be open any time soon," said John Connelly, a parish spokesman. The path will allow more water to drain from the Bluff Swamp and greater Spanish Lake area. Jonathan H. Benefitting Baton Rouge: Overall, Graves has secured over $3 billion half to clear the backlog of legacy flood projects and half to provide future protection against flood risks in South Louisiana. Though she. The dams extend into Ascension Parish. "We do believe this project will provide an immediate benefit to Ascension Parish and the surrounding parishes as well," Monzon said. Getting even just a little water out is something that will help improve life for Braud, who has lived here his whole life. Please keep our wonderful community in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks for watching this episode of Scotch on the Bayou - where we explore the wonders of Scotch whisky and the flavor of life in Louisiana. River Stage Reference Frame Gauge Height Flood Stage Uses; NWS stage: 0 ft : 8 ft : Interpreting hydrographs and NWS watch, warnings, and forecasts, and inundation maps Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. As detailed in the Facebook post above, authorities announced that the following roads are either closed or not passable: Belle Savanne Ave at Hwy 73 (Geismar)Bert Allen Rd at Hwy 621 (Gonzales)Bluff Rd at Hwy 74 (Geismar)Clay St at Church St (Donaldsonville)Duplessis at Beau Jon Ave (Prairieville)E Angelle Ct at N Angelle Ct (Gonzales)Evangeline Dr at Acadian Dr (Donaldsonville)Hwy 75 at Waterloo Dr (Geismar)Hwy 930 at West Ln (Prairieville)Jonathan Alaric Ave at Beau Douglas Ave (Gonzales)Mire Rd at Joby Ln (Gonzales)Mississippi St at Lessard St (Donaldsonville)Mississippi St at Railroad Ave (Donaldsonville)Mississippi St at St Vincent (Donaldsonville)Mississippi St at St Patrick St (Donaldsonville)Old Jefferson Hwy at Jefferson Crossing Ave (Prairieville)Old Jefferson Hwy at Monticello Dr (Prairieville)Perkins Rd at Airline Hwy (Prairieville)St Patrick St at Third St (Donaldsonville)Tiggy Duplessis Rd at Golden Meadow St (Gonzales)**W Tenth St at Catalpa St (Donaldsonville)Woodgate Ave at Woodchase Ct (Prairieville)Amanda St at Brittany St (Sorrento)Babin Rd at Airline Hwy (Gonzales)Bayou Narcisse/Cleo RdBayou Narcisse/JJ LanouxBlack Bayou at Ott Ln (Gonzales)Black Bayou at Hilbert Young (Gonzales)Black Bayou at Oneal**Boudreaux Rd at Bayou View AveCannon Rd/Dee GautreauRd(Gonzales)Cannon Rd/George Rouyea Rd(Gonzales)**Cannon Rd/Poto Ln**Causey Rd at Braud Rd (Prairieville)Chester Diez at Cal Rd**Clouatre Rd at Kurt Kundler Rd (Gonzales)Clouatre Rd at Hodgeson Rd (Gonzales)Ernest Floyd Rd N at Hwy 941 (Gonzales)Galaxy Blvd at Jupiter Ave (Darrow)Galaxy Blvd at Neptune Blvd (Darrow)Guist Rd at Hwy 941 (Gonzales)Hwy 22 at Ernest Floyd Rd S (Sorrento)Hwy 44 at Black Bayou Rd (Gonzales)Hwy 44 at Hwy 621 (Gonzales)Hwy 621 at Della Marchand(Gonzales)**Hwy 621 at Poes Rd (Gonzales)Hwy 621 at Young Rd (Gonzales)Hwy 621 at Lolley Ln (Gonzales)**Hwy 73 at Spellman Rd (Geismar)Hwy 73/Rivergate**Hwy 74 at Chester Diez Rd (Gonzales)Hwy 74 at Sterling**John West Rd at Hwy 931 (Gonzales)Manchac Place Dr at Bluff Rd (Prairieville)Oak St at Brittany St (Sorrento)Oak St at Poplar St (Sorrento)Pebblestone Ave at Timberstone Dr (Prairieville)Pelican Point Pkwy at Hwy 44 (Gonzales)Poplar St at Hackberry St (Sorrento)Provence Pointe Ave at Hwy 73 (Prairieville)Roddy Rd from Hwy 621 to Conifer RDRoyal Palms Ct at Pelican Point Pkwy (Gonzales)Summerfield at Hwy 431 (Prairieville)Sumter Dr at Charleston Rd (Prairieville)Swamp Rd E at Swamp Rd S (Prairieville)Swamp Rd E at Raybon Rd (Prairieville)Tommy Moore Rd at Airline Hwy (Gonzales)Toby at Fairchild RdW Edenborne/S St Landry, Volunteers searching streets of Baton Rouge for missing Georgia man, LSU gymnastics club meet brings tourists to downtown Baton Rouge. This weeks announced plan will focus on clearing the East Baton Rouge portion. Near perfect weather on repeat for Sunday. Bold criminal secretly relaunched massage parlor prostitution ring as he cut a deal with prosecutors. There will be minor flooding of residential areas. View the Enhanced Operating Capability Products and Services StoryMap here. Ascension On The Bayou: Multifamily At 150 W. Sam Houston Pkwy. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Ascension officials cut into Alligator Bayou Road Friday to help alleviate high water left behind by last week's downpour. BATON ROUGE - One week into Lent and the crawfish market is seeing one of its first significant drops of the season. Ascension Parish officials made the cut to alleviate flooding in the region. Really it affects EBR, Iberville, Ascension, the entire area, Parish President Clint Cointment said. They noticed the water getting lower immediately once the pumps were active, but it will take several weeks to move the volume of water from the basin. Nearly a week after heavy rain doused the Baton Rouge region, houses remained surrounded by flood water on Monday and stood as islands in the . You have permission to edit this article. Dredging? As growth has continued to sprawl around the swamp basin, more roofs and concrete have sent more runoff into the basin. The new outlet and pump would also remove runoff from New River that now must travel 18 miles east through Geismar, Gonzales and St. Amant to Ascension's Marvin J. Braud Pumping Station, ultimately also keeping some water out of St. James and Livingston parishes downstream from those pumps. There are no FEMA National Flood Hazard Layers for the location which you are viewing on ESRI Maps. HXIU}\PpWO,nt"g$M4M *$_enBoxVRa-UU`zq${"/PHQyIFcZCI8VcutVsgo3RYYy&cC~7u-Zm%T81uC;v_GTI. Its why Ascension Parish officials are looking at fixing the issues surrounding New River Bayou. Recent leadership and electoral turmoil on the East Ascension drainage panel that would pursue the project likely through Louisiana Watershed Initiative funding may also call into question what the body ultimate decides once HNTB finishes its analysis of the concept. Widespread fllooding will inundate most roads in this area, including LA Highways 16, 42, 431, and 933. It includes the acquisition of approximately 200 acres of natural forested floodplain land along the Bayou Duplantier Channel as shown in the attachment. x[[o6~7,lEH]EN] E }PdG[y4v_BJNP(og?z'"TEg\'2tf9+z~&D USGS Flood Event Viewer: USGS technicians and hydrologists, in partnership with FEMA, have collected hundreds of high-water marks and produce flood inundation maps. Press enter or select the go button to submit request. Also on Wednesday morning, Iberville Parish officials reopened their floodgate at Alligator Bayou, further increasing drainage from the basin into Bayou Manchac, Ascension officials said. Thibodaux, LA 70301 For details. As workers stand on a temporary bridge, high water from the Bluff Swamp flows Friday, May 28, 2021, into Bayou Manchac, bottom, through a new, temporary drainage channel, center, left, cut across Alligator Bayou Road. Engineers with the Baton Rouge firm HNTB say the plan would take advantage of a natural link between New River and the Bluff Swamp that La. In 2016, an estimated 17 billion gallons of water flowed over the road and into the swamp basin until the high water could be stopped with large sandbags and other measures. Iberville has been putting up Aquadams to protect those people from more water from Bayou Manchac. Major investments Graves successfully pushed for during the funding process: Morganza to the Gulf: $31 million for the Bayou Terrebonne floodgate and Highway 55 road gate design, as well as designing the levee and control structure for two critical segments of the project. After the 2016 Flood, Graves secured over $3 billion in federal funding to protect our homes, businesses, law enforcement, livelihoods, schools and the communities of South Louisiana. The State-run Louisiana Watershed Initiative hasrecently announcedtranches of projects across Louisiana that are funded by the Graves-secured $1.2 billion federal Community Development Block Grant for Louisiana flood mitigation. But EBR says the dams could worsen flooding there. The gate can't be opened until water is low enough in Bayou Manchac to prevent bayou water from flowing back into the swamp basin. Ascension consulting engineers have proposed linking New River with the southern end of the Bluff Swamp at a chronic low spot at La. Walgreens says it will not start selling an abortion pill in 20 states that had warned of legal consequences if it did so. Have an idea for a future video? Elevate your experience and lifestyle in Houston with our incomparable community features, wonderfully endless amenities and exemplary service. There was a problem saving your notification. "SLR supports both projects which partially restore the historic, seasonal hydrologic regime that sustained the 17,000-acre forested wetlands for thousands of years," Nesbit said. In 2016, the closure lasted for a few months and drew complaints from people who live in the area and use it for access to Interstate 10. BATON ROUGE, La. The new pump would also keep that water from having to get through Manchac in the first place, allowing water to drain more quickly out of Bayou Fountain in East Baton Rouge, Monzon said. A series of pumps are arrayed Tuesday, May 25, 2021, on Alligator Bayou Road to draw water from the Bluff Swamp, on right, into Bayou Manchac, on left. With U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funding, East Baton Rouge officials are also planning a major clearing of creeks and bayous that dump runoff into Manchac and the Amite. Read the original story below Ascension officials will likely have to come up with an operational plan regimenting the pump's operation, Corps officials added. Flooding in Ascension Parish is caused by headwater overflow of the Amite River, New River, Black Bayou, Bayou Narcisse, Bayou Francois, and Bayou Conway. John Rosso, a resident of the Belle Grove neighborhood in Prairieville, has been trying to gather support from surrounding neighborhood associations to press Graves and local officials on Manchac. At that height, water in the bayou would start to flow back into the swamp basin. One plan to lessen such flooding would drain nearby swamps in the Spanish Lake area into the Mississippi River instead. 5 reviews of Ascension on the Bayou "This place is amazing!!! Scotch on the Bayou Historic Flooding in Bayou Pigeon, Louisiana - May, 2021 In this video, witness the historic level of flooding in Bayou Sorrel and Bayou Pigeon after torrential rains in May, 2021. Instead of state and national help, the Parish government, volunteer groups, and community citizens have rallied to do what they could to hold the river back and help keep people and property safe. Monzon said the New River pump would help Ascension along Manchac and west of Interstate 10 by reducing water in the bayou. As the driveway disappears under the water, a house is surrounded by sandbags and water on Bluff Road as Ascension and Iberville Parishes continue to deal with flooding problems Monday May 24, 2021, in Ascension Parish, La. % The area has gradually become a runoff site for fast-growing parts of Ascension, East Baton Rouge and Iberville parishes but has a limited and congested path for all that drainage water to exit toward the Amite River, the ultimate runoff outlet for much the Baton Rouge region. stream Person hurt in shooting at apartment complex on Lobdell Boulevard early Saturday, Officers make arrest in double-homicide sparked by verbal altercation Saturday morning. Though still very early, engineers working for Ascension Parish now say they may have found a plan to provide the long-sought back-door drain for the Spanish Lake region and, by extension, Manchac, as the August 2016 flood, repeated hurricane threats and the rains of May have focused attention on the region's drainage issues. "There's at least a dozen or a dozen and a half houses that have water right now," Gonzales said. Parishes seek levee district help for permits to dredge, de-snag Bayou Manchac, Governor Edwards, U.S. Rep. Graves seek disaster declaration for Louisiana following severe weather, Ascension council members who oversee drainage want to fire Parish President Cointment. Flood of Record occurred on August 15, 2016. Proud of BCWK's bold legal efforts to defend our region's wetlands, led by Legal Director Kristen Schlemmer. Fax: (225) 442-1736, Phone: (225) 686-4413 THE FORECAST Those living around Bluff and Ridge Road saw it all when it came to flooding, Had we had this under control back in the beginning of May or late April, we wouldnt be here talking about this right now, says one man who lives off Shadow Ridge Lane. The eastern swamp of the huge Spanish Lake region receives runoff from Dutchtown, Geismar and Prairieville and is susceptible to high water from Manchac when it overtops a levee road. Iberville has been putting up Aquadams to protect those people from more water from Bayou Manchac. Post in comments section of this video. Nearly 15,000 homes in Ascension Parish were flooded, said Richard Webre, director of the parish's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Ascension Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness released a flood zone map that highlights areas they think will have moderate to major flooding. Police: Two men shot to death in Slidell late Saturday morning. The meeting will take place next Thursday. The new flood gate on Alligator Bayou Road in Prairieville opens and closes depending on how much rain falls. <> Cost has always been a stumbling block, however, for pumping plans that likely would need federal dollars, officials have said. Hemmed in by low bridges and the occasional bulkhead, choked by sediment and debris, the bayou holds a key spot in Louisiana history, had once been intermittently tied to the Mississippi River and is the occasional grounds of wandering manatees. We appreciate our three parish leaders taking this first step and we look forward to more announcements over the coming months. BATON ROUGE - The Southern University men's Senior School accused of ignoring sexual misconduct of student later arrested in high-profile rape case. For a second time in less than five years, high, slow-draining floodwater in the Bluff Swamp will force Ascension Parish workers to cut a drainage path through Alligator Bayou Road, shutting it potentially for weeks longer. A home is protected by an AquaDam on Bluff Road in Ascension Parish as the area continues to deal with flooding problems on Monday May 24, 2021. Given the higher elevations near the MS river as opposed to the lowering elevations along the route of bayou manchac - it would appear the river flowed into bayou manchac most of the time, endobj Welcome to our Memorial apartments for rent, an amplified style of luxury apartment living in this prestigious area of Houston, Texas. The latest bout of high water stems from heavy rains that caused severe flash flooding in Baton Rouge and Ascension parishes last week and the subsequent drainage from those areas -- where rain approached 14 inches in a short span -- into the Bayou Manchac area. The plan already has received mixed reviews from some Ascension officials. As of Friday, crews are alsooperating a total of seven pumps, four 30-inch axle driven pumps, and three 24-inch tractor pumps. Never drive under the influence of alcohol.Slinte, Yall!Please SUBSCRIBE and hit the LIKE button! The Flood Event Viewer provides access to USGS monitoring activities for the August 2016 floods in Louisiana. Scott Nesbit, who manages the 4,000-acre Spanish Lake Restoration wetlands bank in the Bluff Swamp, agreed with Kemp, saying the land bank would support the idea as long as the proposed Bluff and Willow Glen pumps are managed properly. We never had anything done back here to help us with the water ever. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Slinte, Yall! Check out Scotch on the Bayou Merch: https://my-store-11579182.creator-spring.com Check out the Scotch on the Bayou Blog for more in-depth reviews of this and other Camp Dram bottle reviews, life in Louisiana, distillery tours, recipes, and my travels in Scotland.This video is NOT sponsored. According to the How do I know if I have a cold, the flu or COVID-19? Now, it has become, by necessity, a utilitarian drainage outlet for suburban growth. Sharon Weston Broome, Iberville Parish President Mitchell Ourso, State Senator Eddie Lambert, State Representative Tony Bacala, Councilman Corey Orgeron and Prairieville homeowner associations to discuss the ongoing clearing and snagging and future plans. "What does that do for those districts that are residing along the Bayou Manchac? Together, the floodgate, levee and ridge are designed to prevent backwater, which rises from the Amite when it is high, from flowing upstream into Henderson Bayou and flooding northeast Ascension. Winds will ease into the evening. That kind of work could require, Rosso said, dredging out the Amite from its mouth at Lake Maurepas north and then into Manchac. }DCNDyWGv%a;J cX. Bold criminal secretly relaunched massage parlor prostitution ring as he cut a Federal, local dollars at work clearing waterways in EBR, St. John's big inning hands Southeastern second straight loss, Coach Kim Mulkey talks LSU's record-tying season. ASCENSION PARISH, La. N. - Katy and Points West - HAIF - Houston's original social media Home Houston Area Neighborhoods and Places Katy and Points West Ascension On The Bayou: Multifamily At 150 W. Sam Houston Pkwy. Clint Cointment, EBR Mayor-President. Interpreting hydrographs and NWS watch, warnings, and forecasts, and inundation maps, Survey grade GPS equipment, FEMA flood plain maps, newer USGS topographic maps, Older USGS topographic maps, NGVD29 benchmarks, Older USGS topographic maps, MSL benchmarks. We are committed to helping direct funding toward improved drainage of the Manchac, Alligator Bayou, and Spanish Lake basin, Graves said. (WAFB) - In May 2021, David Braud had to make extensive repairs to his home because of flooding. Rather than fighting, were working with the parishes on solutions like the ones announced in East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Iberville. Fax: (225) 442-1736, 908 East 1st Street That combination left homes in the basin stranded and flooded for weeks in August 2016 and again in May and has prompted dramatic but controversial emergency steps by Ascension and Iberville officials, like inflatable AquaDams and repeated cuts in the levee road, to protect people living in the swamp basin. Stream LIVE news here. Come join me on this adventure. Paul Kemp, who has studied the Bluff Swamp as LSU coastal sciences professor, said longer periods of flooding don't allow cypress and hardwood seedlings to take root. You have permission to edit this article. A houses reflects in the surrounding flood waters on Bluff Road as Ascension and Iberville Parishes continue to deal with flooding problems Monday May 24, 2021, in Ascension Parish, La. N. prd inc HNTB officials did not respond immediately to requests for comment. You must be of legal drinking age in your country to watch this channel. Follow David J. Mitchell on Twitter, @NewsieDave. !" The parish presidents of East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Iberville parishes want the Pontchartrain Levee District to take the lead in a plan t, State leaders are seeking federal support in the aftermath of severe rainfall and flooding that devastated many parts of South Louisiana, dama, GONZALESAbout a week after Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment balked at pursuing post-flood drainage and development changes becaus. At Ascension on the Bayou, you'll find a luxury residential community that features elegantly furnished apartments from ExecuStay Midwest in the prestigious Memorial area of Houston. But one would think they could get some help during this natural disaster. %PDF-1.5 For Sale: 14306 Bayou Terrace Dr, St Amant, LA 70774 $70,000 MLS# 2023003283 Beautiful waterfront lod ready to build! 427 Bridge/Old Perkins Road over Bayou Manchac between East Baton Rouge and Ascension Parishes Friday June 25, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. Grays Creek and the main channel of the Amite River will merge. "I'm not overly stressed, but I got to bed at night thinking about it," said Mike Gonzales, who lives on Ridge Road. But in order to get to his house he has to drive through high water. Saint Amant Swamp will be inundated. LSU women's basketball bounced out of SEC LSU women's basketball bounced out of SEC Tournament by Tennessee. Weather Forecast Office New Orleans/Baton Rouge, LA, Chance of Exceeding Levels During Entire Period, Short-term Probabilistic Guidance (Experimental), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data and Site Info for Port Vincent. ASCENSION PARISH, La. Published: Jun. Instead, efforts need to be focused on getting the water out and these announcements are the first steps in that process. The temporary pumps were set up on Alligator Bayou Road in Ascension Parish. Copyright 2021 WAFB. So, with previous storms- in 2016 as well as in May 2021- we had to cut the road to let the water out. Bayou Manchac used to flow into the Mississippi River before humans altered the course of Mother Nature. The State-run Louisiana Watershed Initiative has, $50 million secured for Livingston Parish drainage projects, $760 million secured for the West Shore Project, $400 million secured for the Comite Diversion Project, $255 million East Baton Rouge Flood Control Project, $350 million for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding, For more information about these projects and funding, click, The East Baton Rouge Metro Council also recently. Watch the 2 Your Health report for Thursday, Watch the 2 Your Health report for Tuesday, Crawfish Tracker: Signs of life (and price drops). On May 19, Ascension Parish officials approved the construction bid for two new floodgates where Fish Bayou joins Bayou Manchac just downstream from Iberville's gate. The parish already as a floodgate at nearby Frog Bayou and Manchac. FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layers not showing? Our elegant and spacious apartments provide the perfect living space, with all the high-end features youd expect. We just would ask for our share of help.. Copyright 2022 WAFB. Gonzales is one of the lucky ones who is staying dry. We believe our homes, businesses and families should not be flooding. John Monzon, civil works manager for HNTB, told an Ascension drainage panel that the pump would allow the parish to better control water levels in Bluff Swamp and build up flood storage capacity in advance of big rains. With quick backdoor access to Houston's treasured Terry Hershey Park, our residents are all set for working out, picnicking, or just enjoying the . With the boat tied to a tree, a houses reflects in the surrounding flood waters on Bluff Road as Ascension and Iberville Parishes continue to deal with flooding problems Monday May 24, 2021, in Ascension Parish, La. For years, as East Baton Rouge has sprawled south and Ascension and Iberville parishes have reached north, people have searched for ways to unclog the scenic bottleneck that is Bayou Manchac. Southern men's basketball falls to Alabama A&M Southern men's basketball falls to Alabama A&M on Senior Day 68-65. Latitude/Longitude Disclaimer: The gauge location shown in the above map Congressman Garret Graves (South Louisiana)issued the following statement after East Baton Rouge (EBR) Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome and Iberville Parish President Mitchell Ourso announced their recommendation to improve drainage along Bayou Manchac at the border of the two parishes. The weekend Friday AM Forecast: Wind Advisory this morning, clear and sunny this afternoon. Ascension Parish officials are trying to lower water levels in the swamp to protect homes in the swamp basin. Rather than fighting, were working with the parishes on solutions like the ones announced in East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Iberville. This is a breaking update. GREENVILLE, S.C. - No. GONZALES Armed with new data from the August flood, Ascension Parish officials are going to revisit an old idea to dredge Bayou Manchac with. Say that much water. <> Follow David J. Mitchell on Twitter, @NewsieDave. "We had to pull all the floors and the insulation and cut the sheetrock," he. This property is perfect for the professional in Houston on a temporary stay. This strain results in an increased risk that surrounding areas will experience catastrophic flooding during an intense rain event. As of Wednesday, six pumps were operating with two more on the way. Our communities deserve clean water, flood Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. But EBR says the dams could worsen flooding there. We believe our homes, businesses and families should not be flooding. Ascension on the Bayou is located in the heart of Houston, Texas, allowing you to amplify your lifestyle as you are never far from exceptional dining, endless shopping, and exciting entertainment. Port Allen Pelicans basketball team soaring toward fourth-straight state title, Sample duo leading Scotlandville into playoffs, For help accessing the WBRZ-TV Public File, contact: Joey Verrett at. There have been a lot of fights about who should take on the water and flood. The La. Watch the 2 Your Health report for Thursday, Watch the 2 Your Health report for Tuesday, Crawfish Tracker: Signs of life (and price drops). Evacuations will be necessary. The parish said earlier this week it was using three pumps, with three more on standby, in that area to facilitate drainage. Residents are urged to use the map as a. I just felt it was a matter of time until we flood again, says one homeowner off Bluff Road. " The FEMA Web Mapping Service (WMS) is down. Utilizing federal funding opportunities, information from constituents, and ideas from discussions will move us toward solutions faster. A home is protected by an AquaDam on Bluff Road in Ascension Parish as the area continues to deal with flooding problems on Monday May 24, 2021. On July 7, 2021, Graves convened stakeholders to discuss regional solutions in the Bayou Manchac Watershed. Phone: (202) 225-3901 Accused murderer cleared by Baton Rouge jury after representing himself in court, released from jail. You know its been the same old thing since the beginning, they never really came and did big projects. A new control gate on New River would direct how much water heads east, how much heads west and prevent water from backing up into Bluff Swamp. Homes in the huge, bowl-shaped basin of roughly 17,000 acres are either flooded or surrounded by high water, which is draining slowly through a handful of existing floodgates and portable pumps recently installed by Ascension crews. Tonight & Tomorrow : T onight temperatures will dip back Saturday AM Forecast: Today's weather will be near perfect. The project on Alligator Bayou Road is scheduled to be finished sometime this summer. CONVENT - A highway in St. James Parish Saturday AM Forecast: Today's weather will be near perfect. As old trees die, new ones aren't replacing them.